Flotation of minerals.



Pittsburgh that the one-half pounds per ton of ore (th FFICE.

CLEMENT L. PERKINS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 METALS RECOVERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.-, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FLOTATION OF MINERALS.

No Drawing.

To aZZ whom it may com-em:

Be it known that I. Cnnrmurr L. PERKINS, a. citizen of the United States. residing at u in the county of Allegheny, State oi Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flotation of Minerals, and I do hmehy declare the following to be a full, clear, and. exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and'use the same.

This invention relates L0 the concentration of minerals, such sulfid ores and the like, (for example, chaleo-pyrite with a silicious gangue), by flotation; and is based upon the discovery that improved results can be obtained by carrying; out the flotat'ion operation-with the addition to the ore or mineral pulp of alpha or bcta-naphtlml, or a mixture thereof, either aloneor with the addition of other agents promoting the flotation. The naphthols are non-oleaginous solid materials which can nevertheless be dis. tributed throughout the ore pulp with such uniformity'that minimum amounts are requircd for effecting the concentration of the mineral by flotation. It is not necessary chemically pure naphthols be used, but the commercial products can be used in their crude or unrefined state. These commercial products may consist l e'ely or essentially of the ind ividual alpluu or betana phthols', or of mixtures in varying proper-- tions or" the two-naphthols.

In using the naphtliols they may be added to the ore either alone or in admixture with other agents promoting the flotation. in any suitable mam so that they Will-be thor-' oughly and uniiormly distributed througln out the orepulp. The mixture is then sub-- jected to a flotation operation 3 .3 in an ordinary Callow. cell or'in apparatus Where the air is incorporated in the. ore pulp by mechanical agitation.

The amount of the naphthol or naphthols used may *ary somewhat, for example, be tween one-hall pound or less and one and at is, caland not of culated on the weight of ore the ore pulp). It is characteristic of the invention that the froth obtained is readily broken up and the nr ithols recovered tnerefrom so that they available for use in the treatment of further amounts of ore.

That is to say, the circuit-water recovered Specification of Letters Patent.

racemes Sept. 18, 1917.

Application filed August 2, 1917. Serial No. 184,055.

' tion agent. The action of the naphthols may, however, be. modified or supplemented by adding other agents (such as oils or non- -oleaginous agents) which promote the flotation and which do not pi'ejudicially affect the actioncf the naphthols.

In applying the naphthol or .naphthols, they may be introduced into the tube mill in which the ore is being ground, or they may be otherwise introduced into the ore pulp in any suitable way, as, for instance,; by first d gesting in hot water and mixing the prod the flotation cell.

Ll claim:

1. The method of eilecting the concentration of minerals by .fiotation,-whicl1 comprises adding to the mineral pulp-a small amount or naphthol, and subjecting the resulting mixture to a flotation operation; substantially as described.

2. The method 01"- efi'ecting thev concentra-' tion of minerals by flotation, which comprises adding to the mineral pulp a, mixture of alphaand beta-naphthols,

the resulting mixture to a" tie tation operation; substantially as describe 3. The method of ei'iecting the concentraprises adding to the mineral pulp a small,

amount of naphthol and of oil, and subject ing the resulting mixture to a flotation operation; substantially as l i'o'ed. i

n testimony whereof aii'ix my signature.

CLEMENT L. resume.

ct with the ore pulp just before it enters and subjecting 

